People benefit from plastic articles. From their invention in the mid-20th Century until the present, thermoplastic polymers have become the composition of many consumer products. Such products are relatively lightweight, sturdy, and corrosion resistant.
Plasticized poly(vinyl chloride), invented by Waldo Semon of B.F. Goodrich, has been a top performing plastic resin for decades. Millions of kilograms of poly(vinyl chloride) (also known as “PVC”) resin are extruded and molded each year into countless products. With conventional additives, poly(vinyl chloride) provides unparalleled durability, flame resistance, and value.
Reinforced poly(vinyl chloride) has been especially useful in the plastics industry. Fiberloc™ Vinyl Composites, made by PolyOne Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio USA, combine the inherent properties of poly(vinyl chloride) with the strength, stiffness and dimensional stability of glass fibers. Fiberloc™ Vinyl Composites are significantly stronger, stiffer, and more resistant to thermal expansion/contraction than traditional vinyl compounds. For example, the flexible modulus with a 30 percent by weight fiber-reinforced poly(vinyl chloride) article can exceed 1,000,000 pounds/square inch (6,894 megapascals). They offer properties closer to metal but with advantages such as lighter-weight parts, corrosion resistance, and the ability to consolidate parts. These composites have broad applications and are commonly used in pump housings, window and door accessories, and construction structures.